Package spout



March 4, 1952' r FENGLER 2,587,716

PACKAGE SPOUT Filed Feb. 9, 1948 INVENTOR: I

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE .S'PoU'r Theodore H. Fengler, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Application February 9, 1948, Serial No. 7,032

This application relates to a pouring spout for a container and has particular reference to a spout which is insertable into a container and detachably seatable therein.

A number of detachable pouring spouts for cylindrical containers, such as oil cans, have .5 Claims. .(qi. 222 s1) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular container showing the device of the invention in position thereon as in practice;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper corner of the container taken substantially through the center of the pouring spout mounted thereon;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the spout with a portion thereof broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a somewhat modified form of spout shown partly in section in order to disclose the interior arrangement thereof;

practical in connection with cylindrical cans, it is Q not possible to use spouts of this type in connection with rectangular cartons and no device has come to my attention which is designed for use in connection with such rectangular containers.

' It is, in view of the foregoing, the general object of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive pouring spout combination which may i be used in connection with the type of rectangular paper or cardboard cartons ordinarily used for holding soap powder and other pulverized or granular material. More particularly it,is the object of the invention to provide a device which,

when insertable into such carton, will cut a clean straight slit transversely therethrough and, as the spout is advanced through this slit, will force the material of the carton beyond this slit outwardly, thereby to produce an arched opening at the top edge of the carton. It is a further obiect is inserted thereinto.

4 is placed between the two parts so as to mainof the invention to provide a device which, when inserted as aforesaid, will cause the outwardly arched portion of the material to seat between adjacent arched members of the device whereby a smooth and unobstructed passageway is formed through the device for pouring purposes leaving I no inwardly curved shelves as found in the cylindrical can combinations as above referred to.

Another object is to provide means for locking Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the cutter of the device as it appears when removed therefrom; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the cutter taken sub. 'stantially in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 5.

A rectangular carton A, such as commonly used for soap powder and other pulverized or granulated material, is in Fig. 1 shown in perspective and the device of the invention is shown mounted in position therein, as in practice, to provide thereon a spout for convenient dispersing of the material from the carton.

The device of the invention consists generally of a shield which supports a cutter 2, and

. the latter is rigidly seated therein as by means of a screw or rivet 3. The upper part of the shield forms a spout having an inwardly curving inner wall terminating at the bottom in a flat shoulder 6 and an outwardly curving outer wall.

This outer wall continues downwardly and inwardly to form a guide having flat vertically directed inner edges positioned to slide along the flat side surface of the carton when the device It is noticed that a spacer 'tain the parts rigidly in the fixed relation to each other which is necessary for the purpose of the present invention. But other means of combining the two parts may be substituted, if preferred.

In cartons such as generally used, the material 'of all four side walls is extended at both ends thereof to form flaps which are folded inwardly.

-!Ihe flaps of the two narrow side walls are usually the device in position on the container, in such a manner that the pressure of the outwardly arched portion of the material thereof is sufficient to lock the device in position thereon.

Other objects and the many advantageous features of the device will be better understood upon perusal of the following detailed description and reference is invited to the accompanying drawings, of which: 1

" first folded, whereupon the flaps of the wider side walls are'folded over the former and adhesive is applied to fasten the flaps together to form the end closures of the carton.

"- In Fig. 2, the narrow side wall C is shown extended to provide a flap D and the reference character B denotes one of the wide side wall flaps substantially as it appears when folded over the flap D and fastenedthereto. Suchcartons being so commonly used, it is not thought necessary further to elaborate upon the construction thereof except to say that the flap of the other wide side wall would appear on top of the flap B.

While the device of my invention may be applied to the carton in diverse manners, it is found most convenient to place the pointed end of the cutter of the vertically directed deviceagainst the edge of the flap B and to press downwardly thereon to cause the inwardly curved end 5'of the cutter to penetrate the side wall C at the point where the flap D is inwardly folded therefrom. Yielding to the pressure applied, the cutter will descend until the position indicated in Fig. 2 is reached, during which movement a straight slit is cut through the fold. It is also important to note that the portion C of the side wall C, below this slit, is forced outward by the arched cutter thereby to produce an opening for dispensing purposes. to note that the wall portion C rises through the space between the cutter and the shield, which latter maintains it-tightly in position against the cutter and so prevents it from breaking away from the body of the wall as it is forced outward therefrom.

The downward movement of the device into the Furthermore, it is important carton is arrested by the shoulder 6 of the shield coming to a stop against the top surface of the flap B, thereby to form a tight closure to prevent wastage of the material within the carton. It is noticed that notches "I are sunk into the side edges of the cutter to take a position directly in front of the shoulder 6 thereby to form grooves which, by the pressure of the outwardly arched material C, are caused to engage and to encompass the side edges of the flaps D and B of the carton. When the device is so constructed, it is seen that the pressure of the deformed carton material C' will maintain the device firmly and tightly in position on the carton so that dispensing operations may be continued until the entire contents of carton have been dispensed therefrom, without any danger of the device becoming dislodged from the carton. When the carton is completely emptied, it is a simple matter to remove the spout therefrom for further use.

The shape of the cutter is very important. As above described, it is essential that the pointed end 5 thereof is inwardly curved and that it extends a short distance beyond the blunt point 9 of the shield in order that the cutter may enter the carton material before the blunt point of the shield enters upon and slides along the outer surface of this arched web of the material. It is also important to make certain that the side edges 10, ll of the cutter are made. sharp and slightly outwardly flared, as best shown in Fig. 6, in order cleanly and sharply to cut a straight slit through the carton material. When the device of the invention is constructed and shaped as above outlined, it is found that it may be inserted into the carton without having to apply excessive pressure thereto; that it will cut the material of the carton on a straight line; and that it will cause the carton material to rise into the space between the shield and cutter of the device to form a smooth and unobstructed passage through the spout.

In the modification of Fig. 4, the spout portion 13 of the shield 12 is shown somewhat recessed from a point 14, substantially in alignment with the flange [5, in order to mount the cutter directly against the inner surface of the shield at the upper end thereof and in proper 4 spaced relation to the guide portion of the shield. In this instance, the cutter is shown secured in position by means of a rivet IE, but it may be held in position in any other suitable manner. An advantage of so recessing the shield is that it is materially strengthened thereby to resist the pressure exerted thereagainst by the carton material which is being forced outward during the insertion movement of the device.

I claim: I

1. A pouring device for rectangular containers vertically insertable in the upper edge thereof, said device comprising an outwardly arched guide member having vertically directed flat inner side I edges converging at the bottom thereof into a blunt point, said edges being directed to slide along the outer flat side surface of thecontainer when the device is inserted thereinto, the portion of the device above said guide member being formed into a pouring spout, an outwardly arched cutter extending downward along and conforming to the inner surface of the guide member in slightly spaced relation thereto, the cutter terminating at the bottom thereof in a sharp inwardly curved point slitting the container along the top edge thereof and as the device is pushed into position therein causing the side wall below the slit to lodge within the outwardly curved space between the guide member and the cutter thereby to open the passage for the material within the container to and through the pouring spout, and means rigidly securing the upper end of the cutter in position within the spout portion of the device.

2. A pouring device for rectangular containers vertically insertable in the upper edge thereof, said device comprising an outwardly arched guide member having vertically directed fiat inner side edges converging at the bottom thereof into a blunt point, said edges being directed to slide along the outer fiat side-surface of the container when the device is inserted thereinto, the material of the device being inwardly extended from the upper ends of said edges to form a horizontal flange coming to rest against the top of the container when the device is fully inserted, the portion of the device above said guide member and flange being formed into a pouring spout, an outwardly arched cutter extending downward along and conforming to the inner surface of the guide member in slightly spaced relation thereto, the cutter terminating at the bottom thereof .in a sharp inwardly curved point slitting the container along the top edge thereof and as the device is pushed into position therein causing the side wall below the slit to lodge within the outwardly curved space between the guide member and the cutter thereby to open the passage for the material within the container to and through the pouring spout, and means rigidly securing the upper end of the cutter in position within the spout portion of the device.

3. A pouring device for a rectangular carton vertically insertable through the upper edge thereof, said device including a spout having a downwardly and inwardly curving inner wall and an outwardly curving outer wall downwardly and inwardly extending below the spoutto form a guide having flat vertically directed inneredges positioned to slide along the flat side surface of the carton when the device is inserted thereinto, the bottom edge of the inwardly curving inner wall of the spout forming a horizontally directed flange coming to rest against the top surface of I the carton when the device is fully inserted-, .an

outwardly arched cutter extending downward along the inner surface of the guide in slightly spaced relation thereto, the side edges of said cutter projecting a short distance beyond the side edges of the guide and terminating at the bottom in a sharp inwardly curved point, the side edges of the cutter being recessed directly below said flange, the side wall of the carton being forced outward into the space between the cutter and the guide when the device is inserted thereby to open the passage for the material within the container to and through the spout, the pressure of the outwardly distorted side wall causing the severed top edge of the carton to lodge within said recesses thereby to lock the device in position on the carton.

4. A pouring device for a rectangular carton vertically insertable through the upper edge thereof, said device including a spout having a transversely straight downwardly and inwardly curving inner wall and an outwardly curving outer wall downwardly and inwardly extending below the spout to form a guide having flat vertically directed inner edges positioned to slide along the flat side surface of the carton when the device is inserted thereinto, the bottom edge of the inwardly curving inner wall of the spout forming a horizontally directed flange coming to rest against the top surface of the carton when the device is fully inserted, an outwardly arched cutter extending downwardly along the inner surface of the guide in slightly spaced relation thereto, the side edges of said cutter projecting a short distance beyond the side edges of the guide and terminating at the bottom-in a sharp inwardly curved point, the side edges of the cutter being recessed directly below said flange, the side wall of the carton being forced outward into the space between the cutter and the guide when the device is inserted thereby to open the passage for the material within the container to and through the spout, the pressure of the distorted side wall causing the severed top edge of the carton to lodge within said recesses thereby to lock the device in position on the carton.

5. A pouring device for a rectangular carton vertically insertable through the upper edge thereof, said device including a spout having a transversely straight downwardly and inwardly curving inner wall and an outwardly curving outer wall downwardly and inwardly extending below the spout to form a guide having flat vertically directed inner edges positioned to slide along the flat side surface of the carton when the device is inserted thereinto, the bottom edge of the inwardly curving inner wall of the spout forming a horizontally directed flange coming to rest against the top surface of the carton when the device is fully inserted, an outwardly arched cutter extending downward along the inner surface of the guide, the latter being slightly offset from the spout to provide suflicient space for receiving therebetween the side wall of the carton, the side edges of said cutter projecting a-short distance beyond the side edges of the guide and terminating at the bottom in a sharp inwardly curved point, the side edges of the cutter being recessed directly below said flange, the side wall of the carton being forced outward into the space between the cutter and the guide when the device is inserted, the pressure of the distorted side wall causing the severed top edge of the carton to lodge within said recesses thereby to lock the device in position on the carton, and means rigidly securing the upper end of tithe cutter within the spout. I

THEODORE H. FENGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,099,322 Wiswell Nov. 16, 1937 2,421,589 Wiswell June 3, 1947 

